EWS reservation Karnataka: Politicians have a special ability of finding solutions to non-existent problems. For petty political reasons, Politicians often oppose several reformist ideas while at the same time voice their support for retarded junk. Rather than focusing on welfare and development driven politics, several state leaders are still clinging on to the notion of winning elections through divisive politics centred around casteism.
Is it Short sighted approach to ensure electoral victory?
The Basavaraj Bommai government in Karnataka seems to be following a confused policy of taking one step forward, two step backwards. Right before the assembly elections, it is getting mixed opinions of support and discontent among its own voters.
In fact, this flip flop stand can be witnessed in their leaders’ statements around the party’s stalwart leader B.S. Yediyurappa. As soon as the party quells rumours of rift and internal division, the state unit starts giving credence to new rumours floated by several vested interests.
But the recent move by the Bommai government has surpassed its earlier regressive steps. In an attempt to woo the two largest voting communities in the state, the Karnataka government has ventured past Congress in doing appeasement politics.
Reportedly, the Bommai government has recently announced proposals that it will redistribute six percent of the ten percent quota specially allocated for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) among Lingayats, and Vokkaligas.
This proposal by the state government came in the wake of agitations held by Panchamasali Lingayats, a sub-sect of Lingayats and Vokkaligas. The protestors from Panchamasali Lingayats demanded access to a 15 per cent quota available to OBCs while those hailing from Vokkaligas demanded a 12 per cent OBC quota.
Will Karnataka government’s move start a despicable attempt to subvert EWS reservation?
Rather than finding a long-term solution to such protests and recurrent demand for reservation, the Bommai government succumbed to the pressure of two dominant voting communities in the state. It preferred to score political brownie points and opted to reclassify Vokkaligas and Lingayats as “moderately backward” category.
As per state government’s proposal, it will be done by carving out two new OBC categories for these communities. The new categories will have an existing four and five per cent quota respectively. Additionally, six percent EWS quota will be redistributed among these two new categories.
This controversial proposal by the state government had to face strong backlash from the upper caste communities in the state. Notably, the Akhila Karnataka Brahmin Mahasabha (AKBM) registered its strong protest against the government’s proposal.
AKBM’s President Ashok Haranahalli termed the proposal as “unacceptable” and “anti-Brahmin”. Former state advocate general Haranahalli added that for nearly two years, the state government gave cold shoulder to the EWS reservation.
Attacking the government, he stated that now they have taken a decision to limit Brahmins to only 2 or 3 percent by dividing the 10 per cent EWS reservation and giving it to communities that already enjoyed benefits of reservation.
Also Read: BJP wanted Bommai to be the new Yediyurappa, he turned out to be the Raj Thackeray
This is a regressive step by the Bommai government as it can set the ball rolling against the EWS reservation that had nothing wrong in it. Now other state governments may feel tempted to meddle with the EWS reservation that got validation from the highest court of the land and was the need of the hour to bridge the increasing gap in the society.
In the short-sighted approach to win the crucial state elections, the BJP government in Karnataka is following regressive politics that PM Narendra Modi has been demolishing through development and welfare schemes. To win elections, these state leaders have to shun the notion that casteism and fragmentation in Hinduism will reap political benefits. Voters have seen through this regressive tactic of politics and have discarded it for good. The days for appeasement politics are gone and political parties should stop pitting divisions in the name of caste, religion or region.
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